Differences in median survival time in patients treated for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been modest and statistically insignificant, regardless of the platinum-based drug regimen used. Therefore, quality of life (QOL) measurements have become important surrogate endpoints for evaluating a patient's response to a particular drug regimen. In a study presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) [Orlando, US; May 2002], docetaxel/cisplatin appeared to provide greater improvements in QOL than either docetaxel/carboplatin or vinorelbine/cisplatin. The latter regimen is currently the generally accepted standard treatment for patients with this form of lung cancer.